Haven’t visited the British Isles? Neither have I, but a bite of Montgomery’s Cheddar offers a glimpse. This English cheddar is dry, structured and possesses an old-world earthiness. Nothing like the bright, fresh, and nutty earthy notes found in alpage cheeses. It’s that barnyard, cave-y, damp, gamey, hobbit hole kind of earthy. A quality that evokes images of the British countryside, giving me a sehnsucht to travel to that soggy field full of cows with the farmer in muddy Wellies and tweed jacket.

I get excited every time a new wheel of English Cheddar arrives at our store. Batches can vary widely, more than most cheese that we see. The earthiness is the backbone of this British Cheddar. But a range of tannic, cave-y funk, pineapple-y sweet and grassy notes will bring you a different adventure in flavors every time. If English Cheddar were an album it would be The Clash’s “London Calling”. It proclaims its English heritage from the start with London Calling, gets dank and grungy with Guns of Brixton, becomes a little tropic and fruity like the reggae in Revolution Rock, and surprises you with a long finish as if it were the bonus track Train in Vain.

Stop in this weekend and at our counter you’ll find Montgomery’s and Keen’s Cheddar, and Lincolnshire Poacher (somewhat of a divergence from true cheddar). Not only do these cheeses have distinct flavor profiles, if you stop in our store 6 months from now and try another Montgomery’s Cheddar, that batch could be singing a different tune. This weekend cheddar might be all Rudie Can’t Fail, but don’t be surprised when the cheddar you pick up in a few months is more Lost in the Supermarket. Whatever the flavor or tune it’s bound to be a good experience!